Constable Marcellus Randall "Pet" Millican

Marcellus Randall "Pet" Millican

The Millican family were founding members of Brazos County. The Millican community is located on the Southern Pacific line at the intersection of Farm roads 2154 and 159, between the Brazos and Navasota rivers fifteen miles southeast of College Station in southern Brazos County. Elliott McNeil Millican was the first elected sheriff of Brazos County on March 1, 1841 and served until July 2, 1844 when he resigned. William T. Millican was an early lawman and died on September 24, 1843.

The 1870s were a violent period for the Millican’s. Two of Elliott Millican’s sons were involved in bloody feuds. On February 6, 1870 Brazos County deputy sheriff William H. Millican was killed by Colonel R. C. Myers in a personal dispute. John E. Millican was the Constable of Precinct No. 1 and a deputy sheriff in Brazos County. John E. Millican in turn shot and killed Colonel Myers. On August 29, 1872, Colonel Myers son and daughter shot and killed John E. Millican. The siblings were tried and it was a hung jury.

On August 9, 1881, W. L. Steele resigned as Constable of Precinct No. 1 and M. R. (Pet) Millican was appointed in his place. On September 12, 1881, the bond of M. R. Millican as Constable was approved.

On Saturday, December 14, 1889, Constable Millican was assassinated by Charles (Charlie) Campbell. Zeke and Poker Curd, brothers, enticed Campbell to kill the constable. All three were arrested and Campbell became a state’s witness. The jury acquitted the Curd brothers. No reason was determined as to why the Curd’s wanted to kill the constable.

M. R.’s brother, Wilbur (Will) Millican was a guard at the convict farm and had reportedly killed several men. He told the Curd brothers to leave Millican or he would kill them. Zeke Curd returned and Will Millican killed him in June 1890. On November 15, 1906, Will was shot and killed in a personal feud by a fellow guard.

M. R. (Pet) Millican was 33 years of age at the time of his death. He was buried in the family plot at the Weaver Cemetery in Millican, Brazos County. He had been a Constable for 8 years, 2 months and 2 days. No other personal information is known except he had at least one brother in Midland. His full name may have been Marcellus Randall Millican.